Wednesday, February 20, 2013
"I'm here to correct some of the mistakes they made but also to correct some of the mistakes you made," the interim superintendent said at Oak Grove Elementary School on Wednesday.
DeKalb County voters are partially responsible for the strife and discord that has pushed the board of education to the brink of its own removal, interim schools Superintendent Michael Thurmond said Wednesday. Because voters elected the board members, they must take some responsibility for the state of the board and the school system as it struggles to regain approval from its accreditors, he said, speaking before the Emory Lavista Parent Council at Oak Grove Elementary School. It was his first public appearance since the embattled school board hired him last week to replace Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson. "My job is to correct mistakes. I did not make them," he said shortly before the meeting came to a close. "I'm here to correct many of …
33.836392
-84.289578
Oak Grove Elementary School
1857 Oak Grove Rd NE, Atlanta, GA
/articles/thurmond-voters-partially-responsible-for-school-board-strife
1736201
/locations/8863092
Monday, February 18, 2013
The event will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Emory Presbyterian Church.
Anything less than that shows that the interests of our students and schools will continue to be ignored while we slide further towards losing accreditation, says a Patch blogger.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
DeKalb schools' interim superintendent holds his first meeting.
Newly-appointed interim school superintendent Michael Thurmond wasted no time on Monday night as he held his first meeting with board members at the district's Stone Mountain headquarters. “I do not have a magic wand,” Thurmond said, "but every day we will come with one goal in mind: to become better and to inspire and educate our children.” He joins the DeKalb School District at a difficult time - his predecessor's sudden departure, probation from SACS, and a continuing struggle to maintain accreditation. Thurmond promised to restore the reputation of DeKalb's schools, according to the AJC. The nine-member school board, some of whom have only been on the job about a month, is hoping to avoid being removed by Governor Nathan Deal. Parent …
Thursday, February 7, 2013
For the second time this week, the board was unable to pick a new chairman.
The embattled DeKalb Board of Education has a new vice-chair as of Wednesday, but the position of chairman remains up in the air. Jim McMahan, who joined the board a month ago as District 4 representative, was voted in this morning as vice-chair. Eugene Walker, however, will remain as chairman at least for the next 30 days - or until the next meeting - because no candidate received the five votes needed to win the post. Not only was there lack of concensus, but the board struggled with the voting process itself and seemed confused as to which rules were applicable. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools currently has the district under probation after finding the board guilty of mishandling funds and poor management.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Evansdale Elementary School PTA President Jennifer Hatfield attended last week's state hearing and weighs in on the crisis.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Evansdale Elementary School PTA President Jennifer Hatfield attended last week's state hearing and weighs in on the crisis.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Sunday, January 27
Having attending numerous DeKalb Board of Education meetings, I can tell you I have NEVER witnessed the DeKalb board act in such a manner. I hope that Governor Deal watched the webcast of the hearing since he was not present. I believe that the testimony of the nine current board members painted a pretty clear picture of what is wrong. Our system is broken, though only two members, Dr. Speaks and Mrs. Jester, had the courage to express any accountability. Sadly, they are two of the most honest and hard-working members of the board. In the next hearing in February, it may be helpful to call Dr. Atkinson and former BOE members Paul Womack, Don McChesney and Thomas Bowen to give testimony and answer questions. These three have nothing to lose…
Monday, January 21, 2013
State Rep. Scott Holcomb blogged after last week's controversial state board of education meeting with our own DeKalb school board.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
McMahan lives in the Sagamore Hills area.
DeKalb Board of Education District 4 member Jim McMahan and District 6 member Melvin Johnson were sworn in Monday, Jan. 7 at the school district's headquarters, along with newly-elected member Marshall D. Orson. McMahan beat Paul Womack in a run-off last last year. Pamela Speaks, who was re-elected to her seat, was also sworn in Monday. Orson represents District 2.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Under a proposal discussed Thursday, Evansdale Elementary School students would attend Tucker High School instead of Lakeside High School.
A local parent said Thursday she's upset that a redistricting proposal would shift her from Lakeside High School's attendance zone to Tucker High School. Jennifer Hatfield, PTA president at Evansdale Elementary School, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that under a draft proposal discussed at a Thursday DeKalb County Board of Education meeting, her children would no longer attend Lakeside High. From the AJC story: Hatfield suspected officials wanted to sneak the changes through. “I think they wanted to intentionally not give us time to mobilize,” she said. She said a January deadline is still too soon. Read the AJC story for more information. The Evansdale shift is the only major change proposed for most residents in the North Druid …
Ann
8:48 am on Sunday, April 14, 2013
Was a crooked politican when he served as Commissioner of the Department of Labor. Unless it was the intent to continue to produce uneducated children, I can't imagine how Thurmond got himself appointed to anything having to do with education. more ›